Improvement in corn-planters



2 Sheets--Sheet 1.- F. W. SHELLABARGER.

Corn-Planter. No. 223,069 Patented Dec. 30,1879.

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2 SheetsSheet 2.

F. W. SHELLABARGER.

Corn-Planter.

Patented Dec. 30,1879.

NJPErERs, PHOTOAJTHOGRAPNER. msumcrom u c.

UNITED STATES FLAVIUS W. SHELLABARGER, OF MIAMI COUNTY, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT I N CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,069, dated December30, 1879; application filed February 14, 1879.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FLAVIUS W. SHELLA- BARGER, of the county of Miami,in the State of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements inCorn-Planters, of which the following is a clear, concise, full, andexact specification.

My invention relates to improvements on my corn-planter which waspatented April 24, 1877, and further and more perfected improve mentsupon my corn-planter on which a caveat was tiled in February, 1877, andrenewed in February, 1878.

These improvements consist in a change in the zigzag movement, thelocation in the pivotbolt being changed from the middle of the maincross-bar to a point to the left of the middle, between it and theseed-box on that side, the pivot-bolt connecting the left hound with themain crossbar.

The double-cranked rock-shaft, by which the zigzag movement was madethrough its connection with the main cross-bar, is dispensed with, and asimple hand-lever, pivoted to the outside of the right hound, (having alatch-rod,) substituted therefor. This leveris pivoted over an invertedsemicircular rack, and has its lower end connected by a link or rod withthe cross-bar near the right end.

By this arrangement the machine is much simplified and a greater rangeof movement on the right side effected, that runner being most requiredin advance of the other, as the left or near side of the team is mostgenerally driven on the higher side around or across a hill-side inplanting.

Another improvement is in making the seedboxes detachable entire, sothat they can be taken off without the use of any tool and inserted,with the corn in them, for the purpose of removing and changing theseed-plate without being required to take the corn out of the seed-box.

The shoe-post is also provided with an adjustable roller or wheel gage,attached near drawings, two sheets, accompanying this specification.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of acorn-planter wit-h my improvementsapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a view ofthe right shoe-post and a section of the furrowingshoe. A section isshown broken out of the shoe-post to exhibit the inclined plate f, fromwhich the corn is deflected into the furrow when dropped. Fig. at is arear view of the shoe-post with a section of the crossbar and also thelower plate of the seedbox attached. Fig. 5 is a plan view of theinterior of the seed-box as detached. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of thesame, showing the cap G, which confines the droppeeplate (Z to the underside of the bottom plate, I), so that it can be taken off with the box.Fig. 7 is a side elevation or edge view of the bottom plate, I), thedropper-plated, and the cap 0 enlarged.

My corn-planter is made in two'sections, flexibly connected together,the device for connecting the two sections being the same as describedand claimed in my previous patent of April 24, 1877, consisting of around T- shaped bar swiveled at the front end of coupling-bar (l.Foot-levers f, for raising the front section,instead of being pivotedupon the axle are pivoted upon the ends of a metal bar, 6,

which is bolted across the coupling-bar G some distance forward of theaxle, and nearly mid way between the latter and the main cross bar B, onwhich the seed-boxes are supported. The ends of the bar 0" are bentupward somewhat above the plane of the coupling-bar to elevate the frontends of the foot-levers f so that their rear ends are lowest, thisposition better adapting them for being operated by the feet of thedriver. I In order to strengthen the supporting-bar e at the point wherethey are pivoted, a brace, 0, extends from it to the axle, being firmlybolted to the bar 0 under the pivot-bolt of the lever, thus dividing thesupport between the coupling-bar and the axle, relieving the former of alarge portion of the weight of the front section when raised by thefoot-levers f. A bar or link-rod, u, connects the front ends of thesefoot-levers with staples u on the hounds g 9, near the main cross-bar B,thus bringing the points of (flexible) connection u and 'v nearertogether than usual, the object being to allow greater freedom to thefront section in its undulatory movements. and making the planter mucheasier handled by the operator.

Instead of the rigid forked tongue shown in my former patent, the houndsg g are separate from the tongue, which is bolted to the plate 70, whichconnects the frontends of the hounds. The rear ends of the hounds areconnected by the long bar 0, which is also turned up at an angle nearthe ends and bent to a slight curve to form the foot-pieces for forcingthe runners S into the ground.

A portion of the bar which supports the seat of the driver is shown inFig. 1 resting on the coupling-bar C.

In this corn-planter it will be seen that there are no draft-rods, andthat the front cross-bar, h, connecting the points of the shoes,'is notcentrally pivoted at all. The shoe-post D is pivoted to the maincrossbar, and the points of the furrowing-shoes are also pivoted to thebar h, as shown in my former patent, but the main pivot for the frontsection is by the bolt P through the left hound and the bar B, as seenin Fig. 2. This allows the bar B to be moved horizontally to an anglewith its right line, as indicated by the dotted lines 12/ n.

It will be noticed that by the removal of the pivot from the center of Bto the point shown the long end of this bar can be thrown to a greaterdistance either forward or backward, the long stirrups or loopsl l,which confine the two cross-bars, having sufficient space in theiropenings each side of the bars to allow this movement. The hand-lever a,by which it is accomplished, is pivoted on the outside of thequadrant-shaped rack-plate m at the top, the notches for its latch rodbeing on the lower edge. This plate is attached on the outside of therighthound alittle distance behind the main cross-bar, so as to have thehand-lever within easy reach of the operator. The rod n connects thelower end of the hand-lever a with the cross-bar B by a flexibleattachment, 2. hole being made through the end of a and the rod hookedinto it.

Fig. 2 shows the seed-box on the right removed and the lower plate, I),fastened to the main cross-bar by screw-bolts. This plate is cut out(see 19, Fig. 2) to allow the cap-plate G to fit into itwhen the box issecured in its position, this cap covering the seed-plate d, the anglesof which can be seen projecting from under the cap in the enlarged viewof the bottom of the seed-box a in Fig. 6. This figure shows the secondbottom-plate, b, which is fastened to the seed-box a and forms itsbottom proper. Its interior or top view is shown in Fig. 5. Bottom 1) isprovided with a segmentshaped slot in it, so as to expose four or fiveholes or cells in the disk (I. On its under side, in the center thereof,is a stud or journal, t", cast on it. (See also Fig. 7.) Over this theseed'plate d, which is of the ordinary round form with teeth or lugsprojecting from its edge, is placed, and the cap 0 secured over theseed-plate. The cap is cast with lugs 0 0 and e e on it, which turn downat an angle with its surface, and the larger lugs c c are bent outhorizontally on the surface of the bottom plate, I) projecting farenough to pass under the raised lugs i, the cap being rotated in thedirection of the arrows shown in the view, Fig. 6, thus effectuallysecuring the seedplate and cap in place.

The bottom plate, I), is provided with lugs Z Z, which are slipped intoslots out in the front edges of the lugs j, which are formed on thefront and rear flanges of the plate I) on the cross-bar. (See Figs. 2,3, 4, and 6.) After the seed-box is put in its place, inside theturned-up edge flange on b, it is secured by the ring or hasp c, whichis formed like a trunk-handle, and is turned up over. the projecting lugb on the end of the bottom plate, 1).

Whenever it may be necessary to change the seed-plates and to:put in onewith a greater or less number of holes, the seed-box can be readilydetached by turning down the hasp c, as shown in Fig. l. The lugs g(seen on the sides of the bottom plate, 1),) fit into notches g in thefixed plate I).

It will be seen that the cap 0 is circular and is intended simply toretain the seed-plate d in its position on the bottom of the seed-box,so that the latter can beinverted and handled without its beingdetached, and to allow of the seed-plates being readily changed whenrequired.

In the views,Figs. 3 and 4, the construction of the seed-tube of therunner or shoe-post D is seen. 0 e e are the transverse slots in therear and lower part of the tube. These are made just wide enough to seethe grains of corn as they pass them without allowing them to passthrough them. They are not intend ed to allow the corn to be seen as itis held in the tube above the valve, but as it is in motion below it. fis a plate which is cast in the lower end of the seed-tube in the formof an inclined plane with its lower end toward the rear of theshoe-post. When the corn strikes this plateit is deflected or thrownrearward far enough behind the runner S to be plainly visible in thefurrow before the wheel passes over and covers it. t is the tridentplatefor operating the drop.

The attachment S consists of a shovel of bull-tongue shape, split abouttwo-thirds of its length (through the middle) from the point. It isprovided witha lug, 0, extending back from the rear side, by which it isfastened to the shoe after being set at the proper angle.

The roller 1 is pivoted in the end of a bracket or arm, 1*, which isgrooved to slide on the fixed rib or guide 70, so that it can beadjusted in height or depth on it by set-screw S. Rib 7c is cast on theshoe-post.

I am aware of the rollers or gages shown in Patents No. 107,709, No.127,648, and No.

156,924, and do not wish, therefore, to be understood as claiming thesame.

I claim as my improvement- 1. In combination with hound g and maincross-bar B, pivot-bolt P, connecting the same, and allowing the rightside of the front section of the planter to be thrown forward orbackward to a greater distance than the left side, as and for thepurpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. The main cross-bar B of a corn-planter, pivoted at a point betweenthe center of the same and the seedbox on its end, so as to give to thelong end of the bar a greater sweep, thereby allowing the furrowing-shoeon that side to be thrown farther in advance of or to the rear of theother than if the bar were centrally pivoted, as and for the purpose setforth.

3. In a corn-planter having its front and rear sections flexiblyconnected together, as herein described, hand-lever a, rack-plate m,hound g, link-rod n, and crossbar B, with thedropping devices andfurrowing attachments connected therewith, as shown, in combination witha pivot-b0] t, P, connecting its opposite hound, g, with said cross-barbetween the center and the seed-box a, on the same side, as and for thepurpose set forth.

4. In a corn-planter having its front and rear sections flexiblyconnected together, as described, the combination of the supportingbar 6upon bar 0, and braces 0, with the coupling-bar and axle, and thefoot-lm ersj", forming a support for the fulcrum-point of the latter anddividing the weight of the front section, when raised, between the axleand couplingbar, all arranged as hereinbefore set forth.

5. In a corn-planter, the detachable seedboX a, constructedsubstantially as described, and adapted to be secured in position byplates and catches, as set forth, so as to be easily detached andinverted, with the corn in it, for the purpose of changing theseed-plates, as set forth.

6. In a corn-planter having a detachable seed box or boxes, thecap'plate G, in combination with seed-plate d and bottom plate, I), asand for the purpose shown and specified.

7. A seed-box for a corn-planter having a fixed bottom plate, I), aseed-plate, d, insertible under said fixed bottom plate and pivotedthereon, and a cap-plate, G, for retaining said seed-plate upon thebottom plate, substantially as shown, so that the box can be detachedand inverted, without taking out the corn, for the purpose of changingthe seed-plates.

8. The flanged open bottom plate, 1), provided with the slotted lugs j,notches g, and hasp c, as and for the purpose set forth.

9. A bottom plate, I), in a seed-box to a cornplauter, having theinsertible lugs l, middle lugs, g, and end lug, b, or their equivalents,for connecting it by the slot-ted lugs j, notches g, and hasp c, ortheir equivalents, to the fixed bottom plate, I), on the cross-bar B, ashereinhefore specified, as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a corn-planter, the adjustable rollerr, pivoted in arm 1', andthe said arm 1" rendered adjustable upon the fixed rib or guide is, caston the side of the shoe-post, and held in position, when adjusted, byset-screw S passed through slot, as shown, and for the purpose setforth.

FLAVIUS \VINCHESTER SHELLABARGER.

Attest:

B. G. CONVERSE, J. N. SHELLABARGER.

